1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera control method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a camera control method and apparatus for remotely controlling a camera whose image sensing direction (e.g., pan and tilt directions) and image sensing magnification can be externally controlled.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video cameras whose pan, tilt, and zoom operations can be remotely controlled are widely used for TV conference systems. An interface like the one shown in FIG. 1 is known as a conventional user interface on the screen of a computer for controlling such a video camera. Reference numeral 110 denotes the monitor screen of a computer for controlling a video camera connected thereto. The monitor screen 110 displays an image display window 112 for displaying an image input by the video camera, and a camera operation window 114 used to operate the video camera. The camera operation window 114 includes buttons 116 and 118 for operations in the pan direction, buttons 120 and 122 for operations in the tilt direction, a button 124 for operations in the telephoto direction, and a button 126 for operations in the wide-angle direction. Windows 128 and 130 for other types of application software may also be opened on the monitor screen 110.
An operator can remotely control the image sensing direction and image sensing magnification of the connected video camera by operating the buttons 116 to 126 on the camera operation window 114 with a pointing device such as a mouse.
With such a user interface for camera control, however, in order to change the image sensing direction and image sensing magnification to a desired direction and magnification, the operator must continuously execute several operations, which is cumbersome for the operator. For example, in order to enlarge an upper right portion of an image displayed on the image display window 112 as compared with its central portion, the operator must sequentially and repeatedly operate the right pan button 118, the upward tilt button 120, and the telephoto button 124 until a desired state is set.